Heart Health News

Crystal Meth May Jump-Start Injection Drug Use, Study Says

TUESDAY, Oct. 15 (HealthDay News) -- Young people who use
crystal methamphetamine are at increased risk of injecting drugs, a
new Canadian study finds.

The highly addictive man-made stimulant is usually smoked but
sometimes snorted or injected for its euphoric effects.

Researchers looked at 395 street youth, ages 14 to 26, in
Vancouver, who used crystal meth but were not injection drug users.
During a follow-up of about five years, 64 (16 percent) of these
young people injected drugs for the first time. Crystal meth was
the drug most commonly used in the first injection.

First-time drug injection took place in a variety of locations
-- with 39 percent occurring in public places -- and usually with
other people present, including friends (57 percent), family
members (13 percent) and acquaintances (10 percent), according to
the study published Oct. 15 in
CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).

Among those who began injecting drugs during the study period,
the average age when they started using crystal meth was 14, the
study authors noted in a journal news release.

"Addressing the impact of crystal methamphetamine use in increasing the risk of injection initiation among injection-naive street-involved youth represents an urgent public health priority," wrote study co-author Dr. Evan Wood from the B.C. Center for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, at the University of British Columbia, and colleagues there and at the British Columbia Center for Disease Control.

The investigators called for further research to develop
evidence-based methods to prevent drug injection that take into
account the complexities of using crystal methamphetamine with
other drugs.

It's estimated that between 45,000 and 150,000 Canadian youths
who have run away from home or are thrown out of their homes are
living and working on inner city streets.

Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.